Reporting Requirements

To maintain F-1 status during STEM OPT you must comply with U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) employment and reporting requirements. DHS requires students to report all changes of address and periods of employment and unemployment while authorized for STEM OPT. To meet your reporting obligations, you must report the information to ISSS. Please note, while you will be notified by the U.S. government to update your employment and change of address via the SEVP Portal, you are still required to submit the STEM OPT Update Form to ISSS.

You must report or 'validate' your employment every 6 months. Your validation reporting due dates are exactly 6, 12, 18, and 24 months from the start date of your STEM OPT EAD. ISSS will attempt to remind you of your validation report due date, but it is ultimately your responsibility to report that you are still employed and update any changes to your employment or contact information. 

How to Report

Please submit the STEM OPT Update Form within 10 days of receiving your STEM OPT EAD and to update your current contact information and all STEM OPT employment. 

Add or Change STEM OPT Employer

• Step 1: Prepare Form I-983 Training Plan with your employer
   
• Step 2: Submit Final Evaluation if changing employers on page 5 of Form I-983 Training Plan
   
• Step 3: Email the Add or Change STEM OPT Employer Request and Form I-983 to ISSS at intl@uoregon.edu
   
• Step 4: Receive your updated STEM OPT I-20 from ISSS 

Report Employment Every 6 Months

At 6- and 18-months, report or 'validate' your STEM OPT employment

• Submit the STEM OPT Update. Even if none of your information has changed, you are required to confirm your address and reconfirm your employment.

Submit Self-Evaluation Every 12 Months

At 12- and 24-months, submit a self-evaluation and report or 'validate' your STEM OPT employment

• Submit the STEM OPT Update and Form I-983 including the self-evaluation on page 5.
  • For the 12-month validation report, complete the top half (Evaluation) of Form I-983 page 5 .
  • For the 24-month validation report, complete the bottom half (Final Evaluation) of form I-983 page 5.
  • Evaluations should be signed by you and your employer.

Material Changes to Form I-983

Report to ISSS any material changes to your I-983 training plan by submitting a modified I-983. These include, but are not limited to:

• Change of supervisor
• Any change of the employer’s EIN.
• Any reduction in student compensation that is not tied to a reduction in hours worked.
• Any significant decrease in hours per week that a student engages in a STEM training opportunity.
• Changes to the employer’s commitments or student’s learning objectives as documented on the Form I-983

Unemployment Allowance

You are allowed 60 days of unemployment in addition to any unused unemployment days during your regular OPT period. It is up to you to keep track of your unemployment days. To stop the unemployment clock, report your STEM OPT employment to ISSS. If you fail to report your STEM OPT employment within any remaining unemployed time you have been allocated, USCIS may automatically terminate your record, which will end your legal presence in the U.S. and forfeit your remaining STEM OPT work authorization.

Travel Signatures

A travel signature on your STEM OPT I-20 is required for international travel. An ISSS advisor's travel signature is only valid for 6 months. To request a travel signature, email ISSS at intl@uoregon.edu.

Common Reporting Scenarios